FA Women's National League
The FA Women's National League is a Football Association-branded league and is run by an elected management committee. It sits at step 3 and 4 of the Women's Pyramid of Football pyramid in England, supporting and underpinning the Women's Super League (WSL) and the Women's Championship. Prior to the 2018–19 season, it was known as the Women's Premier League. History From its foundation in 1991–92 through until 2012–13, the league was run in a pyramid format, with the FA Women's Premier League National Division at the top, and the Northern and Southern divisions running on an equal basis underneath the National Division. The winners of these leagues each season were promoted to the National Division. The terms Women's Premiership and Ladies Premiership were generally used for the National Division only. The National Division had been the top tier of women's football on its foundation, but was demoted after the creation of the FA Women's Super League in 2011. Following the 2012–13 season, the National Division was scrapped due to the FA's decision to add a second division to the WSL for the 2014 season – WSL 2. (Note that the WSL is a summer league, as opposed to the Premier League's winter format.) For the 2014–15 season, the Premier League was restructured to have a second level. To accomplish this, the four Combination Women's Football Leagues were incorporated as the Premier League's new Division 1. At level 3 in the pyramid now is the Northern and Southern division; a level below are four groups of Division One leagues: North, Midlands, South East and South West. In addition, the winners of the Northern and Southern Divisions would play each other in a one-off play-off at a neutral venue for an opportunity to be promoted into the WSL, the first instance of promotion between the WPL and the WSL. The first play-off was contested between Portsmouth and Sheffield F.C. at Stratford FC's ground, with the latter winning through a stoppage time goal. Format Currently there are two tiers and a total of six divisions that make up the National League: the two tier 3 divisions, the Northern and Southern divisions, as well as four regional tier 4 divisions: Division One North, Division One Midlands, Division One South East and Division One South West. Current teams In the 2019–20 season, 24 teams compete in the Premier League (12 teams per division) and 47 teams compete in Division One (12 teams per division except for Division One South East which has 11 following the disbanding of Southampton Saints prior to the start of the season). Premier League Premier League Northern Division *Burnley *Derby County *Fylde *Huddersfield Town *Hull City *Loughborough Foxes *Middlesbrough *Nottingham Forest *Sheffield F.C. *Stoke City *Sunderland *West Bromwich Albion Premier League Southern Division *Cardiff City *Chichester City *Crawley Wasps *Gillingham *Hounslow *Keynsham Town *Milton Keynes Dons *Oxford United *Plymouth Argyle *Portsmouth *Watford *Yeovil Town Division One Division One North *Barnsley *Bolton Wanderers *Bradford City *Brighouse Town *Chester-le-Street *Chorley *Durham Cestria *Leeds United *Liverpool Feds *Newcastle United *Norton & Stockton Ancients *Stockport County Division One Midlands *Bedworth United *Birmingham & West Midlands *Burton Albion *Doncaster Rovers Belles *Leafield Athletic *Leicester United *Long Eaton United *Lincoln City *Solihull Moors *Sporting Khalsa *The New Saints (TNS) *Wolverhampton Wanderers Division One South East *Actonians *AFC Basildon *AFC Wimbledon *Billericay Town *Cambridge City *Cambridge United *Enfield Town *Ipswich Town *Kent Football United *Leyton Orient *Norwich City *Stevenage Division One South West *Brislington *Buckland Athletic *Cheltenham Town *Chesham United *Exeter City *Larkhall Athletic *Maidenhead United *Poole Town *Southampton FC Women *Southampton Women's FC *Swindon Town External links *The Football Association – Women's Premier League official site *TV-Channel 1 1 Eng